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Earlier today, I watched with the world as Apple announced their latest iPhone. I sat on the edge of my seat for 10 minutes, as Apple showed off some really nothing apps. Cards! The application! Find My Friends! The application! Both of those are mildly interesting, and Find My Friends might actually be useful in some scenarios. But should they really have been given time at an Apple Keynote? Certainly not Cards.

Those were just the precursors of disappointment. Then came word that the iPhone 4S would be the successor to the iPhone 4. After 18 months, this is less than ideal. In fact, I would go so far as to say that unless Apple releases the iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S^2) in their January event, Q1 will be a world of hurt for Apple. But that isn’t all! In addition, the high speeds that Apple announced are only going to be available on AT&T, and not on Sprint and Verizon. (UPDATE: Please read my follow-up to this paragraph here) [1]

Of course, the event would have been tainted regardless as Steve Jobs wasn’t there, but still, Apple could have announced something major that’s coming out. They had to have some product in the pipeline they could announce.[2]

So, since this product announcement isn’t exactly what we all anticipated, here is what I think Apple needs to throw into the iPhone 5, and maybe a little bit into the iPhone 5S.

1 – 4G. I peg this one as the 5S. Or the iPhone 4G. Something like that. But speeds have to increase across the board.
2 – Curved Glass Display
3 – Thunderbolt port (big maybe here, but I can dream!)
4 – A6 Processor before the iPad 3 gets it
5 – Expose-esque app launcher/switcher
6 – Redesign. Seriously. Redesign on the 5.
7 – An iCloud phone, which runs almost entirely out of iCloud. Just an idea, but it’d be nice and it would be new and free. How’s that for an idea?

As far as the iPad goes, just a few things. HD. Faster (of course). Integrated-into-the-metal buttons. Better speakers. All around improvement. If they were to release that before Black Friday, it would boost their numbers. Otherwise, look for this release along with the iPhone in the January/February time period.

Looking at Apple as a company, I have a few things to say. One is that they might know very well what they are doing. If they are having an iPad event next week, then they are brilliant. But if this is what it looks like, then this might end up being Strike One. Note that I say might because I’d like to give Apple the benefit of the doubt on their first post-Jobs keynote.

Of course, these are all meaningless predictions. But Apple needs to really make the iPhone 5 be something amazing. Something spectacular. Even – dare I say it? – something magical.

[1] Sprint was such a non-announcement that no one has even mentioned it. Once Verizon got the iPhone and exclusivity ended, more carriers isn’t a big deal.
[2] I know that Apple doesn’t announce or sell unfinished products, but really. Cards was not the way to fill up the dead space in the keynote.